


Family Don't End With Blood

by Jcapasso916



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-25
Updated: 2016-03-25
Packaged: 2018-05-28 23:10:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 15,583
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6349447
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jcapasso916/pseuds/Jcapasso916
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Gabriel and the Winchester's help Lucifer see that family is more important than he ever knew</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is the last of my old Supernatural stories I'm bringing over for now. Reading my writing from so long ago makes me cringe, but maybe you guys will like it lol.

Dean’s words echoed in Gabriel’s head as he walked back into the hotel. ‘Can’t or won’t?’ Truth was it was both. Gabriel was the baby of the archangels, and he was never much of a fighter. Not like the others. Oh he was good, but nowhere near Lucifer’s level, and he couldn’t rely on dirty tricks either because Lucifer was likely to see through them. But he couldn’t just leave them to die either. Even though she killed him, or tried to anyway, Kali still meant something to him, and the others…none of them had any idea what they were getting into. Not to mention what Lucifer would do to Sam and Dean. As much as he hated to admit he was getting rather attached to those boneheads. After their last run-in he had realized something. They weren’t as much like Michael and Lucifer as he though. Oh on the surface they were nearly identical, but deep down…they were more like he wished Michael and Lucifer had been. Gabriel heaved a heavy sigh. He had known from the moment Dean had said it. He had to go in there. He had to try and if he died, maybe it could be a distraction for the others to escape. 

 

He arrived in time to hear Sam ask Dean if he was ok. He decided to answer even though the question wasn’t directed at him. “Not really. Better late then never, huh?” He hands Dean a DVD, “Guard this, with your life.” Gabriel enters the fight just in time to save Kali from his megalomaniacal brother by throwing him back through the doors. He takes a protective stance in front of Kali blade in hand. “Lucy, I'm home.” When Lucifer makes a move toward Kali he realizes this is his chance to get them out of there. “Not this time. Guys! Get her outta here.”

 

Gabriel can tell by the look on Lucifer’s face that he is enjoying taunting his brother. “Over a girl. Gabriel, really? I mean I knew you were slumming, but I hope you didn't catch anything.”

 

“Lucifer, you're my brother. And I love you. But you are a great big bag of dicks.” 

 

“Wait, what did you just say to me?” Lucifer couldn’t believe his ears. Calling him names wasn’t exactly new and he had certainly heard worse, but the idea that one of his brothers could still love him, after everything, made him falter for a moment. 

 

Gabriel continued, eager to distract him as long as possible. “Look at yourself! Boo hoo! Daddy was mean to me, so I'm gonna smash up all his toys.”

 

“Watch your tone.” Lucifer warned his little brother, unconsciously flashing back to all the times he had to tell him that as he was growing up. 

 

Gabriel also had the same flashbacks, and they just made him angrier. “Play the victim all you want. But you and me? We know the truth. Dad loved you best. More than Michael, more than me. Then he brought the new baby home and you couldn't handle it. So this is all just one big temper tantrum. Time to grow up.”

 

Lucifer thought it was all well and good for Gabriel to take the high road. He didn’t get kicked out of heaven, and if he really cared he wouldn’t be working with Michael. “Gabriel, if you're doing this for Michael...”

 

“Screw him. If he were standing here, I'd shiv his ass too.” 

 

Lucifer was confused and beginning to get angry. He hated being confused. “You disloyal—“ 

 

“Oh, I'm loyal. To them!” Gabriel was deliberately vague. 

 

“Who? These so called Gods?” So his little brother was betraying his family for scum was he? He was going to enjoy tearing him apart. 

 

“To people, Lucifer. People” Gabriel said pleading with his brother to listen. 

 

“So you're willing to die, for a pile of cockroaches. Why?” 

 

“Because Dad was right. They are better than us.” Gabriel said fervently. 

 

“They are broken. Flawed. Abortions.” Lucifer roared wondering how his brother could possibly think that. How their father could think that. 

 

Gabriel though of the lessons he had just recently learned from Sam and Dean. How they forgave each other no matter what and stuck together because that’s what family does. “Damn right they're flawed. But a lot of them try. To do better, to forgive. And you should see the Spearmint Rhino!” He said in a moment of levity despite knowing that Lucifer wouldn’t get the joke. “I've been riding the pine a long time. But I'm in the game now, and I'm not on your side, or Michael's. I'm on theirs.” 

 

So his brother was still following his father’s wishes by looking out for the humans. That just made this so much harder. Knowing that his brother still loved him and had been far more faithful than anyone knew made him almost admire him. “Brother, don't make me do this.” He said with tears in his eyes. 

 

“No one makes us do anything.” Gabriel said forcefully, hoping that little bit of emotion he saw in Lucifer was a good sign. 

 

“I know you think you're doing the right thing, Gabriel. But I know where your heart truly lies.” Lucifer said still fighting back tears as he spun around and caught the real Gabriel’s wrist just before he stabbed Lucifer with the real blade. He twisted Gabriel’s arm backwards until it snapped and the sword dropped. “Amateur hocus pocus. Don't forget, you learned all your tricks from me, little brother.” He said as Gabriel was forced to his knees from both Lucifer’s grip and the pain.


	2. Chapter 2

As Gabriel sat there on his knees while Lucifer was wrenching his broken arm in one hand and had the other hand uncharacteristically kindly holding his face, Gabriel could see the indecision in his brother’s eyes. “Lucifer please…” He begged. Normally he wouldn’t give him the satisfaction, but he couldn’t help but hope that he might have a chance to get through to him here. 

“You ask for mercy? After you were about to stab me in the back?” Lucifer was galled that he would even ask. 

“I couldn’t have done it. You know that. If I could have I would have tried long before you stopped me.”

Lucifer tilted his head and narrowed his eyes trying to see the truth of the matter. It was true that Gabriel had been behind him nearly the entire time they had been talking. 

“Answer me one thing then baby brother, and perhaps I may show mercy.” Lucifer said wrenching the broken arm even farther as Gabriel gasped in pain. “Where were you when I was thrown out of heaven and cast into the pit? Where was mercy then?”

Gabriel’s anger at his brother’s presumption temporarily overrode the pain he was feeling. “You think I didn’t try? I didn’t argue until I was blue in the face? Lucifer you were my favorite brother! When Dad was too busy, and Michael was too stuck up, and Raphael was stuck too far up Michael’s ass, you were the one who raised me, taught me everything I know. Do you have any idea where I’ve been since you were locked away?”

Lucifer looked at Gabriel curiously. He finally began to wonder how Gabriel had met the pagans. It’s not like heaven would have approved, unless things had changed far more than he realized. “Enlighten me.” Lucifer drawled.

“I’ve been on Earth. I ran away from heaven. I couldn’t be a part of that after what they did to you. Just because you didn’t agree with them. I took on the role of a pagan god to hide here. They don’t even know I’m still alive, and I doubt they even care.”

Lucifer finally let go of Gabriel’s arm and Gabriel cradled it to himself as it healed. An injury from another archangel would take a few hours to heal fully, but he could already feel the pain lessening. Lucifer took a few steps back. “And what about what I’ve done Gabriel?”

“I don’t understand what you’ve done. You don’t want to love humans more than our father I can understand. I can even understand you not liking them. But destroying the souls that father gave them and making them demons? What purpose could that serve?”

“Demons could keep me company in Hell. Well until Michael put me in the cage after Father left anyway, but by then they were making themselves. They became my new family. But more than that, I wanted to show father exactly what his creations were once you stripped them down to their base emotions, and look what I found,” he said derisively. 

“Because everything you took away is everything that made them special don’t you see? You take away an angel’s grace and what do we become? You can’t tear something apart and then claim that it was never any good because it’s not after being broken.”

“So you think humans are better than angels? Really?” Lucifer snorted. 

“I think that a lot of humans are self-righteous dicks who need to be taken down a few pegs…a service which I gladly provide…but most of them are better. And really, when you look at what our brothers are doing these days it doesn’t take much to be better than that.”

“What do you mean Gabriel?” Lucifer said narrowing his eyes. 

“Well Michael’s whole torturing Dean and Sam until Dean says yes kick. Or should I say Raphael’s since I don’t think Michael is paying any attention to what is going on. It’s really more Raphy’s style.”

Lucifer was appalled. “Even I have never tortured Sam to get his acceptance. That is a line that should never be crossed. How could they do that?”

“Well I haven’t checked in of course, but from what I hear from the Winchesters and Castiel, who is now cut off from heaven by the way, they think they are entitled to whatever they want.”

“Castiel? Baby Castiel?”

“Yeah he was just a baby when we left, but he chose the righteous man and his brother over heaven and you know how that goes.” Gabriel said with a shrug. 

“So I was thrown out for not loving humans enough and he was thrown out for loving them too much. This is madness.”

“So time for the million dollar question that we have been dancing around.” Gabriel said getting to his feet, his blade casually in his off-hand making certain not to be threatening, but ready to defend himself if he needed to. “Do you really want to destroy the world?”

Lucifer looked shocked. “No. I’ve never wanted that. Why would I want to destroy it? Why would I need to destroy it? Humanity is doing a pretty good job of destroying themselves without my interference. I just want to defend myself from Michael.”

“I believe you, but you must realize no one else will.” Gabriel said sadly.

“I know, which I why I do what I must. Will you stand with me brother?” Lucifer asked hopefully. 

Gabriel sighed. This is why he didn’t want to get involved. He didn’t want to take sides, but there was only one decision he could make in this situation. “If you are willing to change the way you are doing things, such as far fewer human casualties. If you need casualties sacrifice demons. Only then will I stand with you if it comes to a fight, but no one can know until then unless I am the one to tell them.”

Lucifer weighed his options. The humans he sacrificed for his goals were helpful, but were they more helpful than another archangel on his side? Not particularly. And more importantly he had a chance to get one of his brothers back in some small way. How could he say no? “Your terms are acceptable…brother.” He said softly. Gabriel let out a smile that brightened the room and pulled his wayward brother into a hug. Lucifer took the contact as a chance to finish healing the injury he inflicted on his brother. 

Sam and Dean, having gotten Kali to safety returned to check on Gabriel, fully expecting to find either his body or an empty hotel if they both escaped. When they walked in and saw Gabriel and Lucifer hugging each other they were speechless. Dean was the first to find his voice, “What the hell!”


	3. Chapter 3

Before Sam and Dean go back to the hotel:

They knew when they got Kali far enough away that Lucifer wasn’t tethering her anymore because she disappeared from the backseat leaving two vials of blood behind. Dean muttered under his breath about people disappearing without even a thank you. 

“We should go back” Sam said shocking his brother.

“What do you mean we should go back? Why would we do that?”

“Well think about it Dean, Gabriel is the best chance to kill Lucifer, and some backup couldn’t hurt, and even if he fails, Lucifer might be weakened enough that we can finish him off or at least get Gabriel’s blade for next time before Lucifer disappears with it.”

“Getting in the middle of a pissing match between two archangels isn’t exactly my idea of a good time. What could we possibly do but get in the way?” 

“Ok fine, so we be there to snatch up Gabriel’s blade if he dies and vamoose.” 

“You have a point Sammy, but I still think it’s a bad idea. You really think Lucifer will let us leave with a blade that can kill him?” Dean said even as he turned around. 

Neither of them entertained the possibility that Gabriel might beat Lucifer. I mean Gabriel was a prankster. Even they could tell he wasn’t a fighter, at least he hadn’t been in a very long time. 

When they walked back into the hotel they both stopped in their tracks. Looks like Gabriel didn’t need any help. They were the ones who needed help. Sam was considering the best way to extricate themselves from the situation without the archangels noticing when Dean had to open his big mouth. “What the hell!?”

“Dean!” Sam hissed to his brother. If Gabriel and Lucifer were working together they had to get out of here. 

“No. We aren’t leaving until I get an explanation. I was just starting to respect you a bit Gabriel, but it turns out you were working with Satan the whole time!” Dean’s anger was completely overriding all common sense. 

“Dean!” Sam yelled to him. Dean finally snapped out of it and realized that they were alone in a room with two archangels who were out for their heads and he finally started backing for the door with Sam tugging on his sleeve to get him to move faster. 

At that point Lucifer waived his hand and the doors slammed shut and locked tight. Gabriel glared at his brother, but didn’t comment. He didn’t have a better way to handle it, but there was no need to be so threatening about it. “Look fellas. It’s not what you think. Just hear me out and then you are free to leave, completely unharmed.” Gabriel assured them. 

“Like we are supposed to believe you?” Sam scoffed. 

“Well at least now we know why you ‘can’t kill your brother’” 

“I haven’t been working with Lucifer. You say you want to pull the plug on the apocalypse, well this is how we do it.”

“Working with the devil? No thanks” Dean interjected.

“No. By talking them out of it.”

“You want to what? Get them family counseling? Are you serious?” Dean said sarcastically. 

“And in the meantime Lucifer destroys the world?” Sam chimed in. 

“If you muttonheads would shut up and let me talk we might be able to get somewhere.” Gabriel said frustrated. He turned to look at Lucifer who was just lounging against one of the tables with his arms crossed and an amused smile on his face. “And you…you’re not helping.” Lucifer threw up his arms in fake surrender and went to sit in a hopefully nonmenacing manner in one of the many chairs in the room. “Ok so first things first. I have not been working with Lucifer. We worked out our issues and I promised to help protect him from Michael in return for him laying off the humans. He never wanted to destroy the world, he was just trying to get enough power to protect himself from Michael.”

“So you’re saying the devil is actually a good guy who’s just trying to protect himself?” Sam didn’t know if Gabriel actually believed this crap, or if he was just expecting them to. 

“You don’t know anything about me,” Lucifer said scathingly while standing, “Scary stories written by those who hate me and blame me for everything that goes wrong. History is written by the victors remember.”

“Oh please. Enlighten us oh abused satan,” Dean quipped back. 

“Lucifer sit.” Gabriel said pointing at the chair his brother had just risen from.

“I am not your dog Gabriel,” Lucifer snarled even while obeying the command. 

Dean snorted and opened his mouth to make a comment when Gabriel cut him off, “Not a word”

“Now I know that you have no reason to believe in anything he says, but I think, disregarding this situation which you don’t understand yet, you know me well enough to know that I wouldn’t lie about anything this serious so I’m going to tell you the whole story of what really happened in heaven all those years ago. The true story behind the legend if you will.”

Sam and Dean both nodded suspiciously. There was nothing forcing them to believe it, but they would at least listen and then maybe they could leave. 

“Ok…A long time ago in a galaxy far far away…” Gabriel stopped at the annoyed looks from all three of the rooms other occupants. “What? That’s a valid beginning. Heaven is comparable to a galaxy.” The Winchesters rolled their eyes while Lucifer just crossed his arms again and huffed. Gabriel barreled on, “There were four of us archangels before any of the other angels were created. We were all very close, but Michael and Lucifer were the best of friends. They looked out for each other and loved each other dearly. Even after our father created the other angels we stuck together. It wasn’t until Father created humans that things began to fall apart. He wanted us to love the humans more than him. For most of us, it didn’t really matter either way, but Lucifer refused. No matter what he will say, it wasn’t because he loved our father too much, but because he wasn’t really fond of humans, and so Father cast him down to Earth to live among the humans in hopes that he would learn to love them, but soon after that he left.”

“Michael was enraged. He blamed our father’s departure on Lucifer’s rebellion, so he cast Lucifer, who at this point had never harmed a human so much as he just avoided them, into the pit. This is where Lucifer, cut off from not only his family, but everyone and everything decided to prove a point to his brothers and father and get himself some company in the process so he took a human soul and twisted it, stripped away the humanity until he was left with the first demon. When Michael realized what he was doing he created the cage and locked Lucifer away from anyone and anything, but by then the demons he had were steadily creating more.”

“So Michael is a dick. Tell us something we don’t know.” Dean interrupted. 

Gabriel just glared at Dean who decided it was better to shut up willingly than have his voice stolen again. “I’m not saying that Lucifer was right to create demons, but remember he was already trapped in hell by that point. It can drive anyone crazy,” he said looking pointedly at Dean, “Before that, his only crime was having an opinion that differed from the rest.”

When they realized Gabriel was finished for the moment Sam decided it was safe to speak, “Even if we believe all that, what about everything he’s done since he was released, including trying to get me as a ‘vessel’” he nearly spat the last word in disgust. 

“Well we haven’t exactly had a lot of time to catch up, so I’ll have to let him explain all that.” At Sam and Dean’s tight nods, he gestured for his brother to take the floor.

“What have I done that is so bad in trying to get you to consent to being my vessel Sam? I have come to you in your dreams and talked to you. Tried to build trust. This is how things were done in my day, before everything went wrong. Consent was to be given freely based on trust and respect. Not tortured out of someone; never tortured out of someone,” He said with a sick look on his face thinking of what his brothers had resorted to. 

Sam thought about that for a moment. He had viewed everything through the lens of someone talking to the devil, but when you looked at it objectively, it was just like Lucifer had said. He had never even attempted to torture Sam, unless you consider appearing in the guise of his dead girlfriend, but he had stopped that when Sam reacted badly to it. Is it possibly that Lucifer just didn’t understand human emotions enough to know that it would bother Sam so much to appear that way. He had said that he thought it would be better to appear as someone familiar, and never claimed to be anyone except what he was. After thinking it through he nodded to show that he understood Lucifer’s point, but he wasn’t willing to go any farther than that. 

Lucifer continued, “Everything else I’ve done has been in an attempt to protect myself. I don’t want to fight my brother…any of my brothers, but Michael will come for me, and he will have the entire might of heaven backing him up. He can draw power from any of the angels, including the only other archangel still connected to heaven, and all of the souls in heaven. I don’t have that luxury. What is left of the souls of demons retain very little power, so I was using the horsemen to tap into the power of the souls of earth. In order to get their help though I had to give them certain freedoms to go outside of the bounds of their station. I could have given war or famine New York or Boston or Shanghai or any of hundreds of sprawling metropolis’ but I gave them small towns with only a few thousand people to play in. I could have given pestilence a large hospital, even a children’s hospital if I were really as evil as people say, but I gave him a small retirement home filled with people who are already at the end of their life, and permission to spread the flu rather than anything worse and in return I was able to tap into the power of the souls of warriors, people who hungered for more in their lives, the sick, essentially most of the souls on the planet. I didn’t get much power from those souls as they are still alive, but when facing such a difference in power as between Michael and I, every little bit helps.”

“And what about Death? You mentioned all the other horsemen, except him.” Dean asked suspiciously. 

“Death wants no further purview. He just wants to do his job in peace.”

“What about the massacre of Carthage?” Sam asked thinking he had caught the devil in a lie. 

“That was my payment for him raising the souls of Sioux Falls to give you a message. I wanted you to know about the horsemen and stop them. I still get the power and they are no longer wreaking havoc. I don’t want to destroy my father’s creations. I just don’t want to be forced to bow before you.”

“If that’s true then tell us where pestilence is,” Dean said accepting the fact that they couldn’t kill death anyway and if he really did just want to be left alone and do his job in peace they could count that as a win by itself. 

“Serenity Valley Convalescent Home” he said as he handed the hunter a paper with an address on it. 

Dean scoffed, “So you’re just going to leave us to clean up your mess? You really are your father’s son,” 

Gabriel flung his arm in front of his brother as a reminder that hurting Dean would not help their plans in the least. “He cannot remove pestilence from the equation as he made the original deal with him, but I can.” Gabriel said nodding at his older brother. “I will take you with me if you wish, but I warn you that simply being in the presence of pestilence can have a terrible effect on your mortal bodies. I would suggest allowing me to dispatch him and then deliver his ring to you.”

“And how would we know that it is really pestilences ring? We are coming with you and you can heal us if needed. We aren’t done here, but saving those lives are more important right now.” Dean said. 

Lucifer spoke up. “What more is to be said? We have explained the situation, both as it is now, and how it got to this point. You listened. Our deal is done. You are free to leave.” 

“We haven’t decided if we believe you or not.” Sam explained. 

“Regardless, you are not required to believe. You were only required to listen. Should you wish to speak further you can pray to either of us.”

Dean snorted and Sam explained, “Dean will barely pray to the one angel we consider a brother. No way will he ever pray to anyone else.” 

Gabriel sighed and handed them another slip of paper with a phone number written on it. “Here is my cell phone number.” He said resignedly. “No booty calls please” he suddenly grinned and winked at the hunters as he grabbed them and disappeared with them to go after pestilence.


	4. Chapter 4

They appeared in the retirement home and Sam and Dean immediately doubled over feeling sick. “A little help here Gabriel,” Sam croaked out. 

“Sorry buckos. Nothing I can do until we remove the ring. It’ll just keep going until then” Gabriel said as he spotted a demon coming towards them. Gabriel just slashed his blade killing the demon. He preferred not to smite, since it could draw attention to his being alive. He began walking towards where he could sense pestilence as Sam and Dean staggered along behind him. 

He stepped into the room that pestilence was occupying and before he was even noticed took off pestilences hand before turning his blade to the other demon in the room just as she flung the Winchesters against the wall. They fell to the floor moaning and Gabriel just walked over and touched each of their heads healing them. 

As they stood shakily Gabriel took the ring off the severed hand and placed it in Dean’s hand before he grabbed them both again and transported them back to the parking lot of the hotel next to their car. Before he could disappear himself Sam stopped him. “Gabriel,” the archangel raised his eyebrow signaling Sam to continue. “Do you really buy all that crap from in there?”

“I do. I was there for most of it, and what I wasn’t…well let’s just say everything Lucifer said completely fits him. I know my brothers, and I can tell when they are lying or even just spinning things to make themselves look better. He wasn’t. “

Sam nodded and let go of Gabriel’s arm. The archangel knew that it wasn’t a gesture saying that they believed him. But they would think about it, and that was all he could ask. Gabriel gave a double snap as he disappeared. 

Dean turned to Sam to tell him they were leaving but found himself speechless. Sam was looking at Dean the same way. They were both completely bald. “Gabriel!” They yelled in unison. A piece of paper floated down to them. Dean picked it up. 

You didn’t expect me to leave with nothing did you? 

It will wear off in an hour.

The hunters got in their car wearily and headed for Sioux Falls. They needed some down time to process everything that had happened. They spent the first hour of the drive stewing though. It wasn’t until their hair spontaneously grew back exactly the same as it was that they finally relaxed. 

 

Once they were back in Sioux Falls they filled Bobby in on everything that happened at the hotel. Bobby’s first response was to reach for the whiskey. After a few shots he looked up at the boys. “Can you boys ever go anywhere without world changing events following you around? I swear, sometimes I can’t tell if you idjits are hunters or hunted.”

“It’s not like we plan this stuff Bobby” Sam said wearily. 

“Ok so let’s look at this objectively. The best thing we can do is go along with it, but keep trying to find a way to bring him down. That way if they are telling the truth we are good and we can maybe be on the inside and if not we still have an ace up our sleeve to stop this madness.”

“You want us to play nice with the devil? Are you serious Bobby?” Dean couldn’t believe what he was hearing. 

“Well he was right about the whole history being written by the winners, and knowing what I do about the winged monkeys, I can see it going down that way, but I’m not saying trust him obviously. I’m saying watch. Watch very carefully, and make sure you have a backup plan if things go south.”

Sam and Dean both nodded reluctantly. They could see that Bobby had a point. The only problem was, they had no backup plan. They didn’t have the first clue what would kill Lucifer, since the colt didn’t work. They would feel much better about this if they had that in place at least. They decided to call it a night at least. Or call it a midmorning if you want to get technical. They had been driving all night, far too keyed up to sleep even if they had stopped to do so. 

That afternoon they were woken by yelling. “I don’t care who or what you are, you don’t just pop into my house without knocking boy!”

They rushed downstairs in time to hear Gabriel’s laughing reply. “I’m several billion years older than you, you know?”

“I don’t give a fig how old you are. You appear outside the door and knock like any normal person!”

Sam and Dean got Gabriel’s attention with their loud sighs. “Hey kiddos. Just the people I was looking for.”

Bobby seemed to be gearing up for some more argument, and the Winchesters could tell he had been deep in the bottle since they went to bed so decided to nip this in the bud. Sam jumped in before anything else could be said. “From now on Gabriel, just be polite and knock for crying out loud.”

“Of course! If I had known it would be such a dramatic event I would have this time,” he said with a smirk. 

“Then why…you know what? Never mind. What do you want Gabriel?” Dean said bitterly, not understanding why the annoying angel couldn’t have just apologized and promised to knock in the future before the old hunter got his panties in a twist. 

“Well it dawned on me that you probably don’t know the significance of the ring I handed you last night and the ones you already have, so I thought I would drop by and put your minds at ease,” he said as if that explained everything. 

“Yeah because that’s the first thing on our minds,” Dean said as he rolled his eyes. 

“Well it should be, because that’s our backup plan.”

“Look Gabriel, we just woke up. Will you please just say what you mean and quit being so cryptic,” Sam was really starting to get annoyed with the archangel.

“Well I know that you don’t trust Lucifer, and I trust him more than you do obviously, but I do still have my doubts, and the horsemen’s rings are the key to his cage. I will not kill him, but if he goes off the rails, I will help you put him back in the cage.” Gabriel said with a shrug. He really wished he could have dragged it out more, but he hadn’t counted on cranky Winchesters to ruin his fun. 

“So you’re what? Playing both sides?” Dean asked more shocked than he expected to be. 

“No. I’m on one side and one side only. The side of humanity. As long as my brother is willing to work with me, I will help protect him. That is the deal we made. I’m not fool enough not to have a backup plan though, and while I obviously haven’t told him, I’m sure he knows, especially since he knows you have 3 of the 4 rings.”

Dean was stunned into silence. Sam was surprised too, but not as much as Dean. Gabriel was siding with humanity. It seemed he really wasn’t going to pick a side between his family, he was going with the third option and trying to get them on his side. Sam could only say one thing to that, “Why?”

“Why side with humanity? Well that’s easy. It was our father’s last wish before he left, that we serve humanity. Lucifer never cared before, and he doesn’t particularly care now I’m sure, but he wants my help so he at least can’t hinder that goal, and Michael? Well he forgot our mission at some point over the last few centuries, and decided to focus on the end game instead.”

Dean thought over their experiences with Gabriel in the past and saw a glaring flaw in that argument. “So all those people you killed as the trickster, that was serving humanity?”

“Did you ever bother to ask why I killed those people? No. So what qualifies you to judge me for it?” Gabriel said harshly. “Let’s see. The ones you know about,” he thought for a minute. “The professor at the college who was famous for his stance on morality, had a habit of sleeping with his students, and arranging accidents or bullying them into suicide if they threatened to tell anyone. The research scientist who got eaten by the alligator, who enjoyed torturing animals far beyond what was required for his job, and who, at the time of his unfortunate incident was following a young woman because he was looking for ‘better prey’. I only kill those beyond redemption. The kid with the alien survived and learned a lesson about humiliation that will hopefully stop him from committing those crimes on others, and the guy I dropped into a wormhole, who is now back with his family with a far more open mind and polite disposition, just in time before his wife left him.” Gabriel hated having to explain himself, but if they were ever going to trust him they would need to hash out this stuff. 

“And what about the mystery spot? What’s your justification for that?” Sam asked heatedly. 

“You really have to ask? You really didn’t learn anything did you?” Gabriel said resentfully. “I was trying to teach you to let go so you wouldn’t go all vengeance and spring Lucifer from his cage. 

“Oh” was all Sam could say to that as he looked down at his shoes. 

Gabriel sighed, “Look I know you guys don’t like me, and that’s fine, but I would be lying if I said that this wouldn’t go easier with you on board.”

“We’re just fragile powerless humans compared to you. What do you need us for?” Dean asked curiously. 

“You two are the best of humanity,” Gabriel said ignoring their snorts of derision, “You’re very resourceful, and have a habit of doing the impossible. Why wouldn’t I want you on my team?” When no one had anything to say to that Gabriel said his goodbyes, “Anywho, I just popped in to give you the skinny on the rings, so I’ll be going now.” He said leaving with a double snap again.


	5. Chapter 5

Sam and Dean immediately looked at each other and then at Bobby to see what the latest trick was and the breathed a sigh of relief when everyone looked normal. The breathed too soon though as they turned around and saw that the entire house had been turned into a gingerbread house, complete with icing. Sam and Dean sighed again, this time in resignation, and Bobby looked like he was about to burst a blood vessel. Sam decided to set his mind at ease. “Don’t worry Bobby. It will wear off. I’m sure of it.”

At that point another slip of paper fell from the sky this time landing on Sam’s head. 

Thanks for your vote of confidence Samsquatch and you’re right. It will wear off in 24 hours. Until then, enjoy. Nothing you eat will affect the house when it’s back to normal.

Sam showed the note to Dean and Bobby. Bobby just went back to his whiskey, but Dean just shrugged and decided to make the best of the situation by breaking off a piece of the banister. Sam shook his head at his brother and went back upstairs. Thankfully Gabriel hadn’t turned the furniture into candy too so he could go back to bed for a little while and hope waking up went a little better next time. 

 

Sam woke about an hour later to blissful silence. That was better. He went back downstairs and hit the library. He found himself curious about whether there were any hits to the real story of what went down in heaven in the lore, and while he was looking he thought over the real story. He could understand God sending Lucifer down to get to know the humans and learn to love them, but Michael’s revenge must have been difficult. He imagined how he would feel if it were him and Dean and couldn’t help but feel a twinge of sympathy for the devil. 

After Sam went to sleep that night, or more like the next morning, he had a visitor in his head. It was Lucifer, who immediately raised his arms in surrender. “I just want to talk to you, but if you want me to leave I will.” He said fearing that Sam would not take the intrusion into his head well. 

Sam just sighed, but he had been wanting to talk to Lucifer too, and if they tried to speak alone in the real world Dean would have a fit, and never allow it so this really was the best way. “As long as you stay here and don’t go poking around my head, and of course keep looking like you,” he said resignedly. 

“Agreed,” Lucifer paused unsure how to ask his question.

“You said you wanted to talk?” Sam asked impatiently. 

“I am attempting to figure out how to word my question,” he was still struggling, but could see Sam was getting impatient. “You released me and betr…um went against your brother to do so, but you are still…” he wasn’t sure were to go from there and hoped he had gotten his question across. 

Sam did understand the question and felt that pang of sympathy again that Lucifer was so baffled by the idea of forgiveness. “I apologized and he forgave me. That’s what family does. At least human families anyway. They are always there for you even when you screw up.” Sam knew that he was a little harsh getting that point across, but felt that if there was any way to redeem the devil that they would have to slap him in the face with the truth, sometimes harshly. 

Lucifer got a wistful look on his face for a moment, imagining a scenario where Michael forgave him and welcomed him home with open arms, before he turned thoughtful. “And your relationship…is it…like it was?”

“Not really. Not yet. There are still trust issues to work on, but those things take time. You can’t expect everything to go back to being perfect right away.” Sam told him, wondering where his mind was going with this information, and decided to ask his own question. “Did you ever try to apologize to Michael?”

Lucifer snorted derisively. “For what? Having an opinion? I was sad that Father left, and perhaps I was at fault, but why would I apologize for that?”

Sam grew thoughtful. “I see your point, and agree that Michael was the one in the wrong, but sometimes you have to be the bigger man and make the first step.” At that Lucifer sneered so Sam offered another option, “Or just accept that you will never have that person back in your life and forget about it.” 

When Lucifer disappeared from his dream Sam sighed. Of course this wasn’t going to be easy. 

 

Gabriel popped back in the next day. “Ok here’s the thing buckos. If we are going to stop this thing we will need to work together. We gave you your space to think on it, but we kinda need an answer.”

“Just answer me one thing Gabriel. Why us?” Sam asked, hoping for a real answer this time.

“Because you two for some reason have an extreme effect on angels,” Gabriel said serious for once.

“What the hell does that mean?” Dean asked. 

“You really don’t see it? Cassie, perfect little soldier, turned against heaven to join your cause because he believed in you. You turned me away from my path of running away, and just from contact with your mind Sam, you gave Lucifer hope again. That’s pretty much the definition of extreme.”

“Huh,” Sam said. He had never thought of it like that. “But I don’t even know how we do it. How can you expect us to keep doing it?”

“Simple Samsquatch. Just be yourselves. That’s all you’ve ever done, and that’s all I’m asking of you.”

“What exactly are you asking of us Gabriel?” Dean asked suspiciously. There was some specific plan at play here, and he wanted to know what it was. 

“Let’s just say I’m about to get this show on the road and go all in. It’s better if you don’t know details, then your reactions will be genuine. I don’t want you thinking up a script and messing things up. Just trust me,” Gabriel said with a grin. 

“I really don’t like the sound of that, and I don’t trust you Gabriel,” Dean snarled at the archangel. 

“Ok how about this. I’ll tell Sam my plan and let him decide if I’m right not to tell you. You’ll be the star of this one so Sam knowing shouldn’t throw a spanner into the works.”

Dean looked at Sam who looked pretty uncomfortable at being put on the spot like that, but Sam just shrugged so Dean looked back at Gabriel and said, “Fine.”

Gabriel grinned and grabbed Sam and they disappeared. No sooner than they reappeared at their destination Sam turned to Gabriel and said, “Explain.”

“Well there are two sides in this thing, we’ve pulled the teeth out of one side, but the other is still all gung ho about the end of days. Now I’m almost certain that Michael has no idea what his minions are doing in his name. I will go see Michael, throw him off his game by enlightening him, and he will insist on talking to Dean to make things right. Enter extreme effect on angels.” 

“Are you sure that Dean will be able to pull of that extreme effect on his own though?”

“Dean is very much like Michael in many ways. I wasn’t kidding about that, just like you are very much like Lucifer in many ways. Dean could never have reached Lucifer, and you will never reach Michael.”

“And you don’t want Dean to know so he doesn’t get all worked up ahead of time or start trying to compose speeches of what he thinks he should say.”

“Bingo!” 

“Ok you should keep it quiet, but make it happen quick. I don’t know how long I’ll be able to hold Dean off, and not knowing will put him on edge the longer it takes.”

“Will do Sammich. I’ll take care of it now,” Gabriel gave a mocking salute before Sam found himself back at Bobby’s once again standing next to Dean. 

“So what’s the midget planning?” Dean asked Sam.

“He’s right. Its better you don’t know. It’s nothing dangerous. For us anyway. Might be dangerous for him, but if he fails its just status quo for us.” 

Dean just stomped off. He hated not knowing, but at least he was sure that it wasn’t dangerous. Sam wouldn’t have lied to him about that.


	6. Chapter 6

Gabriel appeared in heaven and made his way towards Michael’s area only to find himself stopped by Raphael. “What do you think you’re doing Gabriel? You can’t just show up after leaving for two thousand years.”

“I need to see Michael,” Gabriel said forcefully.

“No. You don’t,” Raphael sneered at him.

“I don’t think you understand me Raphael. I am going to see Michael, and you know I will find a way, no matter how vigilant you are. The question is whether I tell him that you wouldn’t let me see him or if you are going to let me pass,” Gabriel really hated playing the serious archangel politics, but you gotta do what you gotta do. 

Raphael growled at him as he stepped aside, and Gabriel couldn’t help but respond to that with “Good doggie,” as he walked off laughing. 

Gabriel strolled into Michael’s ‘office’ and his oldest brother looked up at him in shock. “Gabriel? We thought you were dead.”

“Not dead, just hiding,” Gabriel said sheepishly. 

Michael came up to him and wrapped him in an embrace. “It’s good to see you brother. I have many questions for you, but let’s start with why you were hiding and why come out now?”

Gabriel was shocked at the welcome he received. He though Michael would be furious, but he supposed it was like the parable of the prodigal son so he dutifully answered Michael’s questions. “Do you blame me for hiding? Everyone was tearing each other apart. I was watching my brothers turn on each other, and I kept getting put in the middle. I couldn’t take it.”

Michael nodded sadly. “I understand Gabriel. I do. I just wish it hadn’t taken you so long to come home again.” 

“Which brings me to the reason I’m here. I feel that you should be made aware of what your minions are doing in your name. I have faith in you brother. I know you, and I know that you would never condone working side by side with demons or torturing vessels for acceptance or any of the other things that Raphael and Zachariah have been plotting. To be honest I’m not even sure if you’re aware that the angel’s had just as much hand in freeing Lucifer as the demons did.”

By the end of his speech Michael just had a gobsmacked look on his face. He had no words. If what Gabriel said was true, how had he let things get to this point? Michael sighed heavily as he sat back and rubbed his head wearily. “Let me get Raphael in here and we will get to the bottom of this.”

When Raphael entered he glared at Gabriel who just rolled his eyes. Michael was the first to speak. “Gabriel has brought some disturbing things to my attention and I wish to give you the opportunity to defend against his claims. I will begin with his claim of you and those beneath you working with demons. Is this true?”

“We do not work with demons. We use them for our gains to further the cause of heaven,” Raphael said smugly. 

“And what is this cause of heaven that you need to use demons for?” Michael asked.

“Reaching the goal of judgement day when we will finally be rid of Lucifer once and for all.”

Michael rounded on his brother, “You so look forward to the death of your brother? You so look forward to watching me have to kill our brother? Did you ever consider that I locked him away for a reason? I don’t want to kill him. I never did. And now that he is free I will have to.” Michael had well and truly had the wool ripped from his eyes. “And what is this I hear about torturing the vessels to get them to say yes?”

“They were very recalcitrant. There was no other way,” Raphael was a bit more subdued now, but no less certain that he was right. 

“There is always another way!” Michael roared. He grew quiet and thought for a moment before sighing and said. “I am sorry brother,” and clapped cuffs on Raphael’s wings and flew him to heaven’s prison. “I will consider what to do with you further at a later time. It seems I will be quite busy cleaning up your mess.” 

Michael flew back to his office to find Gabriel looking at him with a sad smile. “I realize I just put you in the middle again baby brother and I’m sorry.”

“I put myself in the middle this time Michael. It’s not on you.”

“So you know the Winchesters well I presume to have so much inside information?”

“I do. I have known them for many years. They don’t consider me a friend exactly so I don’t have any influence I can pull for you.”

“You are their enemy then.” Michael said sadly. In heaven everything was so black and white. There were no shades of grey. 

“No not their enemy either. I’m more of an annoyance that they are grudgingly somewhat fond of,” Gabriel said grinning. 

“So more like an annoying little brother then?” Michael said with a twinkle in his eye. 

“What can I say? It’s a role I’m well suited for,” Gabriel said laughing. “You have changed much since I left brother. The Michael I left would never joke and laugh with me, and he would have expelled Raphael on the spot. You have changed for the better.”

“I have changed Gabriel. I have no wish to lose anymore brothers, and I have learned to better value the ones I have, but we have gotten off topic. What would you suggest I do to repair my relationship with Dean Winchester?”

Gabriel very much wanted to stay on that topic and see if he could maybe fix things himself, but he decided not to push the matter. There would still be time. Let Deano work on him first. “Dean Winchester is unyieldingly stubborn, and completely tactless, but loyal to a fault to those who show loyalty to him, especially family. Do not go to him with the intention of talking him into a yes. It will not work, and you will only alienate him further. Go to him with your apologies, and explanations of how you didn’t know what Raphael and Zachariah were doing behind your back. He will be angry, and likely accuse you of incompetence for not knowing, but it is his way. You must let him vent his anger before he will listen to anything you say. Once he has, just talk to him, not with a goal in mind, but simply to build rapport.”

“Will he be expecting me?” Michael was really asking if he was going to relay this conversation.

“It’s better if he’s not. He will be more receptive if it’s a surprise. If he knows in advance then he will dig in his heels and he will never budge.”

“I will trust your judgement on the matter then Gabriel. Now let us talk of more pleasant things. What have you done in your time away?”

Gabriel grinned at his brother. Contrary to popular belief angels had no hate for pagans, and in fact had a tendency to find them amusing. “Well I’ve been playing Loki, norse god of mischief and chaos, with a dash of judgement thrown in. The nasty tricks were saved for the deserving.”

Michael let out a deep belly laugh. “That role fits you well baby brother. Thank you. I cannot remember the last time I laughed like that.”

Gabriel smiled at his brother they whiled away many hours just catching up. For the first time in millennia Gabriel actually had hope that his family would be okay. It would take time and a good dose of Winchester, but they would make it.


	7. Chapter 7

Gabriel left his brother with a last warning not to look like John Winchester when appearing to Dean. It wouldn’t end well. Michael countered with a playful warning that he should come around more often or it wouldn’t end well for him either.

Michael took a great deal of time trying to decide what form to take in Dean’s dream. He had gained enough insight from Gabriel to understand that his warning included anyone else that Dean was close to as well, but he wasn’t familiar with very many human forms. Just his own vessels and those of his brothers. He finally settled on one of Gabriel’s previous vessels for a sense of nostalgia. 

He found Dean in his dream by a river. “Hello Dean. I am Michael. I have come to offer my sincere apologies on behalf of my brothers. I was not aware of their actions, though I know that is no excuse.” 

The only reason he got that far into his speech is because Dean was too shocked to form words. “Damn right it’s no excuse, even if I believe you. Do you know what those bastards put me through? Put Sammy through?”

“I do not know the details, only that it was traumatic for you,” Michael did not meet his eyes. 

“Then let me tell you some details. They broke bones, they gave us terminal cancer, they removed our lungs for crying out loud! They hounded us, chased us all over the world and even through time, and that’s not even starting on their manipulations of us to make sure that we let Lucifer out! And you didn’t know? What were you doing? Sitting around with your thumb up your ass watching the clouds go by?”

“I would change the past if I could Dean. I should have paid more attention. I asked them to speak to you on my behalf. I made the mistake of trusting my brothers. It should please you to know that Raphael is currently imprisoned, and I will be dealing with Zachariah and any others who were a part of this travesty in the very near future.”

“And what will be their punishment?” Dean asked rather petulantly. 

“That will be determined when I find out to what extent they were simply following orders. If you would like to be informed of the matter, I would not object to keeping you informed, as you were among their victims.”

Dean found it very difficult to stay angry at someone who wouldn’t fight back. “Yes I would like to be informed,” He said crossing from angry to simply annoyed. 

“Then I will make it so.” 

When Michael didn’t leave after that, Dean asked impatiently, “Was there something else you wanted?”

“I just wish to speak with you Dean, but I find myself not knowing where to begin. Before today I have not spoken to anyone outside of Raphael for thousands of years.”

“Seriously dude? No one at all? That’s pretty sad.”

“I lost nearly everything that ever mattered to me. Lucifer was lost to me, Gabriel left, Father left, I never spent much time with the seraphs or cherubs. Raphael was all I had left. I closed myself off. I am only now realizing what a mistake that was.”

“Hey look. I get it. I do. I’ve been there myself. Luckily I had a pretty great brother around who pulled my head out of my ass. Sounds like you weren’t that lucky.”

“Once Lucifer would have been that brother. Or even Gabriel, but it turns out that it suited Raphael’s plans to keep me isolated.”

“Speaking of Lucifer, what the hell happened there man? I’ve heard his side of the story, and Gabriel’s side of the story, so what’s yours?” 

Michael sighed. “Father left not long after Lucifer rebelled, and I was angry. I blamed Lucifer and I lashed out in that anger, and if that had been the end of it, we likely would have reconciled eventually, but he went too far. He took Father’s creations. His shining glory, and twisted it, broke it creating monsters. I couldn’t allow that to continue. I couldn’t let him get away with it. Many were calling for his head, but I couldn’t kill him and so I locked him away, but promised that if he ever escaped I would do what I should have done to begin with and kill him.”

“Things have a way of spiraling out of control if we let them huh? I got angry and lashed out at my brother too, and he ended up springing Lucifer from the cage because of it.”

“But you and your brother are still close?” Michael asked baffled.

“We are. He knows he screwed up and he apologized. We are still working on the trust thing, but that takes time. In the end we are family and family sticks together no matter what. That’s the most important thing.”

Michael looked out over the lake thinking. “This lake. It is important to you?”

“Yeah I guess. Dad brought Sammy and me up here once when we were kids. We went fishing and camping. It was one of the only times Sammy and I got to be regular kids, and one of the only times that Dad was ever around.” 

“You miss your father,” Michael said sadly.

“I do, but I missed him just as much when he was alive.”

“I understand.”

Dean just snorted. “I’m sure you do.”

“You have given me a great deal to think on Dean. Thank you for sharing your time with me,” Michael said as he got up to leave. 

Only once he was gone did Dean begin to think that this was Gabriel’s plan. Dean had to admit grudgingly that it was a good one. He hoped he had played his part. That wasn’t going to stop him from giving Gabriel a hard time about it though. 

 

When he woke the next morning, he yelled, “Gabriel, get your feathery ass over here!” 

Gabriel arrived and took a mocking bow, “You rang, oh cranky one?” 

“Did you sic Michael on me?”

“Yup,” Gabriel said smugly. 

“Did you even think to ask me first?”

“Of course I did. I just decided not to,” He said cheerfully. 

“If this doesn’t work, we’re having roasted archangel for dinner,” Dean warned.

“Which archangel?” Gabriel asked with a smirk.

“Whichever one pisses me off first so probably you.”

Gabriel just laughed, “Don’t get your panties in a knot Deano. It will work. Trust me,” Gabriel said with a wink as he disappeared. 

Dean just yelled to the room not knowing or caring whether or not Gabriel could still hear him. “You keep saying that, but I still don’t.”

 

Gabriel reappeared back in heaven and walked into Michael’s office still laughing. “So I hear you had an eventful evening.”

“I take it you spoke with Dean.”

“Yup. Went just like I imagined it would. It was quite amusing. Apparently they are having roasted archangel for dinner and I’m invited.”

Michael recognized that for the joke it was and laughed along with Gabriel. He really had missed his baby brother. 

“Dean gave me a great deal to think on,” Michael turned the conversation to more serious matters. 

“I thought he might,” Gabriel admitted. 

“How so?”

“The Winchesters have the craziest effect on angels that I’ve ever seen. They have a habit of turning their whole world upside down, and they don’t even realize they are doing it.”

“Speaking of angels, I was looking over what Raphael has been doing and I noticed that one of our seraphs was cast out for the crime of murdering one of his brothers. Do you know anything about that?”

“Oh I know a great deal about that, and I would gladly string Raphy up for that alone,” Gabriel said angrily.

“Tell me what you know Gabriel.”

“The angel he ‘murdered,’ Uriel, was recruiting for Lucifer and killing any angel who declined. He tried recruiting Cassie and Cassie fought back. That’s when he joined the Winchesters to try and stop the apocalypse, and Raphy cut him off.”

“I see. And what do you think of Castiel?”

“I think that he is an excellent strategist, a good fighter, and he has a strong moral center. He could use more of a sense of humor, and a lot more socialization skills, but he is young still. Why do you ask?”

“I have been reconsidering my isolation and wish to begin my socialization with my brothers again by creating a sort of council of advisors. He refused to take bad orders and rebelled and was cast out rather than compromise his integrity. That leads me to believe that he may be a good choice. Do you agree?”

“I think that’s a wonderful idea Michael. Truly. Both the council and Cassie’s placement on it. Are you fully decided? Can I go get him so we can tell him?”

Michael laughed. “I had forgotten what you are like when you are excited. Yes go get him.” 

Gabriel was gone for less than a minute. Since he was expected he flew directly into Michael’s office, with a completely disoriented seraph. Gabriel of course did not tell Castiel what was going on. He wasn’t even sure Castiel realized that someone had hold of him before they were flying. All the seraph knew was that he was suddenly grabbed of the street and dragged to heaven and was now facing Michael. 

Gabriel just laughed at Cassies face. It was torn somewhere between surprise, wonder, and terror. At Gabriel’s laughter Cas tore his eyes away from Michael and looked to the other archangel in the room who was leaned back comfortably in a chair with his feet up on Michael’s desk. “Oh relax Cassie. You’re not in any trouble. Just sit.”

Michael looked at Gabriel with a fond, but slightly annoyed expression. “Did you have to scare him like that?”

“Believe me. If I had told him we were coming to see you it would have been much worse,” Gabriel said with a shrug.

Michael just frowned, hearing what Gabriel did not say. If their brothers were truly frightened of him then he had a great deal of work to do to remedy the situation. He tabled that issue for later though. 

“Castiel, I asked Gabriel to bring you here that I might apologize to you. I have recently had a great number of truths revealed to me that I was unaware of including your expulsion from heaven and the reasons for it.” Michael walked around his desk slowly and placed a hand on Castiel’s head, who felt himself immediately strengthening. 

“Thank…Thank you.” Castiel stammered out, realizing that he didn’t know what to call Michael. He was the ruler of heaven after all, and hadn’t been seen by anyone in so long. 

Michael realized his dilemma and said softly, “You may call me Michael, or brother as you wish. I may not have been around much, but I am still your brother. Just please, don’t call me Mikey like Gabriel does,” he finished with a smile. 

“Aww but Mikey…”Gabriel whined.

“Perhaps the Winchesters have the right idea about roasted archangel for dinner,” Michael quipped. 

Gabriel put a hand over his heart, “That hurts Mikey. And here I thought you loved me.”

“Father only knows why,” Michael said as he rolled his eyes. It was so easy to fall into such a banter with Gabriel. He was hoping that it would put Castiel more at ease, and it seemed to have worked. He no longer looked like he was going to flee in terror, but he was looking back and forth between them as if he were watching a tennis match. 

Castiel marveled at the byplay between his brothers. It reminded him a great deal of Dean and Sam, made even more remarkable by the fact that they had been separated for so long, and he found himself relaxing in the familiarity of it. 

Once Castiel was more relaxed, Michael straightened and said, “Back to business. I didn’t call you here only to apologize and reinstate you Castiel. I have realized that my policy of seclusion and leaving matters in the hands of others has caused a great deal of damage and I wish to begin repairing that damage and to that end I have decided that it would be beneficial to have an advisory council and I wish for you to be a part of it.”

Castiel had thought that he could have gotten no more shocks today, but he was mistaken. He just looked at Michael blankly for quite a while.

Gabriel couldn’t hold it in anymore and began laughing. “I think you broke him Mikey,” he said poking at Castiel as if he were an experiment. 

Michael just chuckled a bit, but he was fine with giving the young seraph time to collect himself. 

Finally, Cas managed to get his shock under control and said the only thing that came to his mind. “Why me?”

Michael just smiled at him, “You were given a crap order and you stuck to your guns. You allowed yourself to be cut off from heaven rather than compromise your integrity. That’s exactly the kind of angel I need to help me set things right up here.”

“I….but…Dean…” Cas couldn’t get out what he wanted to say and looked to Gabriel for help. 

Gabriel didn’t need to help him though. Michael was very perceptive when he wanted to be. “I understand that you have duties on Earth now, and more importantly that you have found a sort of surrogate family there. I can be flexible.”

Cas finally realized that everything he knew about Michael was completely inaccurate. “Thank you…brother. I would be happy to help you in any way I can.”

Gabriel suddenly materialized a noisemaker and confetti. “Horray!” he yelled. 

“Yes thank you Gabriel,” Michael said dryly as he brushed the confetti from his hair. 

“You should go tell Deano. Let him get all excited for you too,” Gabriel said ruffling Cas’ hair. 

Cas smacked his brother’s hand away from his hair and looked at Michael questioningly. 

Michael smiled indulgently at him, “I will let you know when I need you. I still have a great deal of work to do before the council becomes a reality. Go celebrate with your friends.”

Once Cas was gone, Gabriel turned to Michael, “You know you’re gonna get lots of points with Deano for that one.”

“I did not do it to get ‘points.’ I did it to right a wrong that should never have happened had I been paying attention like I should have.”

“Which is exactly why you get the points,” Gabriel said smugly. 

“I am beginning to think I have a great deal to learn about humans as well,” Michael said thoughtfully.


	8. Chapter 8

Gabriel left Michael and went to see Lucifer. It was annoying to have to go back and forth like that, but he had hopes that one day they would all be together again. Michael didn’t yet know that he was in contact with Lucifer, nor did Lucifer know that he was in contact with Michael. He had no intention of getting in the middle again, or choosing sides between them. He could give them both helpful advice though to edge them back to where he wanted them, and when he found Lucifer pacing in the old hotel, that he had come to make his headquarters, he knew this was one of those times. 

“Come on Luci, you’re gonna wear a hole in the rug. What’s eatin you?”

“Stop calling me Luci, there is no rug, and I’m fine.”

“Uh-huh sure you are. You look perfectly fine to me.”

“Shut up Gabriel.”

Gabriel just rolled his eyes and sat down, putting his feet up on the table. He knew if he just sat here for a while, he would get to the root of the problem. Luci liked to talk to himself too much. And sure enough…

“Stupid humans. Why the hell should I be the one to apologize? Why shouldn’t he? I’m always the bad guy.”

That was all Gabriel needed to hear. Apparently he had talked to Sam. 

“Lucifer,” Gabriel called forcefully.

“What?!” Lucifer snarled at him. 

“Do me a favor. I want to show you something. Stand right there for a minute.” Lucifer did as he was told with a cold look on his face. Gabriel then went and stood about ten feet in front of him. “Now imagine I’m Michael and you want to get closer to me again. What do you do?”

“What is this Gabriel? Some kind of game?”

“Think of it as an interactive lesson. Just answer the question.”

“I walk over to you,” He said as if Gabriel were an imbecile.

“Exactly. But it all starts with one step. Someone has to take the first step. You take the first step then it’s up to me, Michael, to take the next. You understand?”

“I get the concept. I just don’t see why everyone expects me to take the first step, when he took the first action to send us down this path.”

“News flash Luci, no one cares who takes the first step as long as someone does. You both screwed up, you both owe each other apologies. Who cares who goes first?” Gabriel was beginning to lose his patience. He was the little brother for crying out loud. He was supposed to be the one getting advice not giving it. 

“It’s not like it matters anyway. I can’t get to heaven to talk to him, and he certainly isn’t going to come down here except to kill me, not talk to me, so it doesn’t really matter who takes what steps because we are just walking in place,” Lucifer growled as he stormed out. 

Gabriel sighed, “And now we get to the root of the problem,” he said to the empty room. He was certainly going to let Lucifer calm down a little before he suggested that he pray to Michael. Maybe he would get lucky and Lucifer would think of it first. 

Gabriel decided to go see the Winchesters. If he was lucky maybe he could catch the celebration for Cassie. 

 

He arrived to find the Winchesters, Bobby, and Castiel sitting around the table taking shots of whiskey and laughing. “You mooks call this a party?” he said as he snapped his fingers and there was a banner saying Congratulations Cassie along with balloons and streamers and music playing. He snapped again and added an assortment of cakes and pies along the counter. “Now it’s a party!” He said dancing around the room, not caring that he was the only one dancing, or that everyone else was looking at him like he was crazy. 

Dean suddenly stood up and grabbed Gabriel’s arm pulling him outside. “Did you do this?”

“The party? Of course I did. You know that,” Gabriel said with a smirk knowing full well what Dean was talking about, but determined to make him work for it.

“You know what I mean. Cas. Reinstated and promoted.”

“Michael was looking over everything that happened recently and saw that Cassie was cast out for murdering another angel. He asked me if I knew anything about it. I told him the real story and he was falling all over himself to make amends.”

“Oh. Well. Thanks. For your part in it anyway. I’ve never seen Cas happier,” Dean said with some effort. 

“Don’t strain anything Deano. Just doing what I do best. Teaching people lessons,” Gabriel drawled walking back in to the party that he was the only one enjoying. 

 

Lucifer visited Sam again in his dreams, startling him. “Lucifer, are we going to be making a habit of this?”

“I am unsure. I find myself I a dilemma and from what I understand you and your brother are very good at solving those.”

“So you’ve come for advice?” Sam asked incredulously. I mean, sure, he gives unsolicited advice like he did the last time Lucifer visited him, but to be asked for advice directly from the devil took him aback a bit. 

“I suppose I have,” Lucifer said thoughtfully. 

“Ok lay it on me,” Sam told him. 

“I have thought about what you said, and I have decided that I am willing to take the first step to mend my relationship with Michael, but I do not know how to do so. He is in heaven and I cannot get there, nor can he come here without a vessel, not to mention the fact that if he does get a vessel to come here it will be to kill me not talk with me.”

Sam sat and thought for a few minutes. “Could you reach his mind the way you do mine?”

“No. I can only reach your mind when your consciousness is at rest, and even if angels did sleep, our minds are far more defensive.”

“Oh I know. What about praying to him? Can angels hear prayers from other angels?”

Lucifer looked taken aback for a moment. “They can, but when I was cut off from heaven I was also cut off from prayers. He could not speak to me that way.”

“Well you can still reach him that way, and then you may have made the first step, but he will have to make the bigger step to find a way to speak to you,” Sam thought that might appeal to Lucifer, and after what Michael did for Cas today he would give Michael the benefit of the doubt and hope that he would take that bigger step. He knew that Dean would for him. 

“Thank you Sam. You have been very helpful,” Lucifer said as he disappeared. 

 

Back in the hotel Lucifer prepared to do something he hadn’t done in thousands of years. Pray. 

“Michael, brother, I understand that I went too far in creating demons and for that I apologize, but I ask you to understand my reasoning. I was all alone down there. I had no one, nothing. I wanted to create a new family to replace the one I lost, but I also wanted to show you and everyone else how flawed humanity was, but it was pointed out to me that you can’t break something and then call it flawed, and I see the wisdom in that now. I was wrong brother and I ask your forgiveness.”


	9. Chapter 9

Michael stilled as he heard a voice he hadn’t heard in thousands of years. As he heard his wayward brother admit his wrongdoing and ask for forgiveness, he couldn’t help but be overcome with tears. He thought about what Dean had said about trust taking time to rebuild, but an apology being enough to start with. He had to see his brother. He was going to do something he didn’t want to do. 

He appeared in Dean’s dream, the tears from his celestial form carrying over into this one. He found himself at the lake again, and smiled. “Dean,” he said softly to get the man’s attention. 

“Michael? What’s up?” Dean asked noticing the tears. 

“I must ask you for something, and I understand that I have no right to after all that has been done to you, but I hope that you will understand.”

“Ok…” Dean said warily. 

“I received a prayer from my brother. Lucifer. He apologized. He asked for forgiveness. He will be unable to hear any prayers directed to him, but I cannot go to see him without a vessel.”

“Let me make sure I understand this. You want to borrow my body to what? Go accept his apology?”

“And offer one of my own, yes.”

Dean knew that this is what they were working for. The happy ending to the apocalypse, but he couldn’t bring himself to let an angel walk around in his body. He definitely couldn’t let this particular angel walk around in his body. Not when it could mean the end of the world. Even if he did trust Michael’s intentions, which he wasn’t sure if he did, he knew as well as anyone how an apology between brothers could easily come to blows, and with two beings who knew so little of forgiveness that could be a disaster. “Why did you do what you did for Cas?” 

Michael blinked at the change of subject and absently wondered how many more times he would answer this question. “Castiel should never have lost his place among us, and I was at fault for not paying enough attention. Correcting that error was far less than I should have done. His place on the council was earned by his willingness to follow his good morals in the face of strong opposition. I feel that his attitude is just what I need to get heaven running the way it should again.”

Dean nodded. “Thank you for that, and for that I will consider letting you borrow my body. I can pass along a message if you want in the meantime.”

“You are in contact with Lucifer?” Michael asked.

“Not usually, but I know people who are and I can get to him directly if the need arises.”

“Thank you. Tell him I accept and offer my own apologies. No don’t tell him that. I want to tell him myself. Just tell him I want to speak with him and when I find a way I will come in peace.”

“I can do that.”

“And thank you for considering my request. It is more than I expected of you, and more than I would likely do in your place,” Michael said as he disappeared. 

Dean snapped awake, “Gabriel, I swear to god if this was your doing I will flambe you,”

“Well that’s not nice. I don’t swear to your father.”

“Gabriel,” Dean said sternly.

“I honestly have no idea what you’re talking about Deano. I did nothing this time.”

Dean just sighed. “Must have been Sam. I swear we need to start having daily meeting updates on the archangel crisis.”

“What’s going on?”

“Well apparently Lucifer prayed to Michael and apologized so Michael showed up in my dream all teary-eyed wanting to borrow my body to go offer his own apologies.”

“And you said no.”

“I said I’d think about it. After what he did for Cas, I didn’t feel right saying no right off, but can I really say yes? Those two meeting could end the world Gabriel. Even if they only intend on talking, things can escalate quickly between brothers, and then it’s my fault the world ends. How can I risk that?”

“You’re right. That is a problem, but what if I had a way to make it safe?” Gabriel was jumping for joy inside. This was everything he had always wanted and if he had to stretch himself a little thin to make it happen then that’s what he would do. 

“How?” Dean asked suspiciously.

“Well first off I would insist on being there when they meet, and I can also anchor your mind so if things start getting out of hand I can yank you back to the forefront where you can kick Michael out.”

“I can do that? Just kick him out?”

“You can. You have to say yes to let us in, but you can also say no to kick us back out again. The catch is you have to be aware, and vessel minds usually aren’t. That’s where I come in.”

“If I do this Gabriel, and I’m stressing the IF, I will be putting a lot of trust in you.”

Gabriel did something he rarely did, and got completely serious. “Yes you would be, and you have my solemn word that I would not let you down.”

“Ok I’m going to go back to sleep. I’ll let you know what I decide. Oh and tell Lucifer that Michael wants to talk to him peacefully.”

 

The next morning he talked it over with Sam and Bobby and after ripping Sam a new one for not warning him, to which Sam replied that he didn’t think it would happen so fast and should he have woken him up in the middle of the night for it? He finally decided to go with Gabriel’s plan. He really wasn’t comfortable with this, but the gains were worth it in everyone’s opinion. 

Sam was the one to call Gabriel, knowing that he at least called politely, unlike Dean, but Dean was the one to speak. “You anchor my mind and at the first sign of something going bad, you yank me forward and I kick his ass out, you understand?”

“Completely,” Gabriel said.

“And you passed on the message to Lucifer so he won’t he expecting a fight when we show up?”

“I did.”

“Ok now just one more thing. I need you to put me to sleep in a second,” Dean then turned his gaze up. “Michael I’m about to go to sleep. Come talk to me.” He nodded at Gabriel to touched a hand to his forehead. 

Michael appeared to Dean in a large empty space. Dean blinked. “Hmm I guess this is what my subconscious looks like when I’m not dreaming yet. Anyway, I considered what you asked and I wanted to let you know before I say yes, that Gabriel will be anchoring my mind and will be there during your meeting with Lucifer and if things seem to be getting out of hand or dangerous he will yank me forward and you will be gone. Is that good with you?”

“It is.”

“Ok be ready then,” Dean told him. “Can you wake me up?”

Dean woke up and looked at Gabriel. “Let me know when you’re in or anchored or whatever,” Gabriel closed his eyes and put his palm on Dean’s forehead for a few moments, and then he stepped away and nodded. Dean took a deep breath and really hoped he didn’t regret this. “Michael, yes.”

The light flowed into Dean and all the humans in the room shielded their eyes. Gabriel staggered under the weight of his brother’s mind, but held strong. Michael opened his eyes in Dean’s body, just in time to catch Gabriel before he fell. “Are you alright brother? Will you be able to hold on?”

Gabriel took a few deep breaths. “I’ll be okay. Just need a minute to adjust.” 

“I will fly us so that you don’t waste any unnecessary energy, Michael said gently setting Gabriel back on his feet and brushing a hair out of his eyes. “Just let me know when you’re ready to go.”

After a few more breaths, Gabriel just nodded to Michael and they both disappeared from the house.


	10. Chapter 10

Lucifer was once again pacing in the ballroom of the hotel. He thought it was a fitting place. It was the place where he took his first step on the path of redemption, and now it would be the place where he took his first step towards reconciliation with his brother. When he received Gabriel’s call that Michael would be coming, he wasn’t sure how he felt about that. He was afraid that it would end badly, but Gabriel assured him that there were steps in place to ensure that it couldn’t. He didn’t have time to explain, but Lucifer trusted Gabriel as much as he could trust anyone. 

He heard the telltale rustle of wings and spun to look, but rather than Michael, the first thing he saw was Gabriel swaying dangerously. He rushed to Gabriel’s side to support him on the other side from Michael. “Gabriel, are you alright brother?” Lucifer asked concerned. 

Gabriel smiled. “I will be. I just need to sit. Mikey is heavy,” he said with a chuckle. Lucifer knew now what Gabriel had meant. Anchoring your mind to another to override an archangel’s possession was a very difficult thing. And Lucifer now knew how committed Gabriel was to getting their family back together, and he vowed that if this failed, it would not be a failure on his part. He didn’t realize it, but he was echoing his brother’s earlier thoughts. 

Once Michael and Lucifer both helped Gabriel to sit they turned to each other. Lucifer wasn’t sure what to do or say. He had already made the first step by praying for forgiveness, and Michael had made a step by coming here. Michael soon took the lead as he pulled Lucifer in for a hug. “I am so sorry brother. I let my anger blind me and I lashed out at you. I was wrong and I hope you can forgive me.”

Lucifer wrapped his arms around his brother and sank into the embrace. “I will forgive you if you will forgive me,” he said quietly.

Michael huffed a little laugh. “Deal.”

They stepped back out of the embrace, but stayed with their hands on each other’s forearms. After so long of having no contact at all, with anyone, they couldn’t let go of their favorite brother just yet. “Did I just hear right? Did stick in the mud Michael just laugh?” Lucifer teased his brother, with a hopeful smile. 

“You always did have hearing problems,” Michael deadpanned. 

“I’ll have you know I make him laugh all the time,” Gabriel chimed in.

“Laughing at you doesn’t count baby brother,” Lucifer shot back. 

“Hey a laugh’s a laugh,” Gabriel said shrugging.

“Sure it is,” Michael said ruffling Gabriel’s hair making it stand on end.

“Ok now that I did not miss,” Gabriel said pretending to be morose, as he tried to fix his hair, but his grin betrayed him. 

Michael sighed contentedly. “It looks like we have all changed over the years. You and I have both found flexibility from our extremes and baby brother has gone and gotten all wise on us.”

“Hey now! There’s no need to be insulting!” Gabriel said indignantly making both of his big brothers laugh. 

Lucifer was the one to bring the topic back to a serious subject, “So where do we go from here?”

“As a wise man once told me, we have started building, but trust takes time.”

“Ah yes. Winchester wisdom. I got the same speech from the younger one,” Lucifer said with a smile. 

“Yes. Perhaps if this continues to go well, I can convince Dean to allow it again so that we may work on that building.” 

“Then we should ensure that this continues to go well.”

“Indeed brother. Indeed.”

Lucifer then surprised Michael by grabbing him in another hug. “I have missed you Michael.”

“As I have you Lucifer. I look forward to you one day returning to your rightful place in heaven.”

Lucifer got tears in his eyes at that. Someday he could go home. That was more than he ever dared to dream. He gripped Michael tighter as he wept unashamedly on his shoulder. Michael rubbed his back soothingly, and when Lucifer had himself under control again. Michael pulled back and used both thumbs to wipe away his tears, before kissing Lucifer’s forehead. “No more of that now. We’ll soon have you home where you belong. Just have a little patience with me?” Michael said with a lopsided smile. 

“Thank you brother,” Lucifer said solemnly. 

“Don’t thank me. We both made mistakes, but I made the first one,” Michael said sadly. 

“Yes you did, but I made the bigger one. We are both fools. We can’t change the past. We can only go forward from here.”

Gabriel feeling the moment needed a little levity, piped in, “Hey does that make me the smart one?”

“No,” Michael and Lucifer both said at the same time before all three of them laughed. 

“Not to push things, but I was hoping to see Raphael sometime soon too,” Lucifer asked. 

Michael turned to Gabriel. “You didn’t tell him?”

“Hey I’m Switzerland here. Michael didn’t know I was seeing Lucifer and Lucifer didn’t know I was seeing Michael. I can’t exactly tell him what went on in the privacy of your office without letting out that I was actually in the privacy of your office.”

“Fair enough Gabriel,” Michael said. “I guess I had just hoped not to be the bearer of bad news.”

“What’s going on with Raphael?” Lucifer asked concerned.

“Raphael organized this whole thing with the help of some other angels and some demons. He was trying to let you out and force me to kill you. I bound his wings and put him in prison until I can decide what to do with him.”

“You threw me into hell for a lot less,” Lucifer couldn’t help himself from grumbling. 

Gabriel sat straight up and watched like a hawk. This had potential to go bad so he had to be ready. 

Michael closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Gabriel could almost see him counting to 10, before he opened his eyes and spoke again. “I do not wish to repeat my mistakes brother, and most importantly, Hell does not need another archangel to rally behind.”

“I apologize Michael. It seems it is more difficult to leave the past in the past than I had anticipated.” 

Michael reached out and put a firm hand on Lucifer’s shoulder. “We will find our way Lucifer. Do not worry. I only ask for the same patience when I inevitably make that mistake.”

“I will make every effort.”

Gabriel relaxed again, seeing that the danger was over. 

“We should cut this short before Gabriel overexerts himself, but it was so good to see you brother, and I hope to see you again soon,” Michael told him pulling him in for another hug. 

“That is my hope as well,” Lucifer said, before he turned to Gabriel. “And thank you Gabriel. Without you this could never have happened. You brought our family back together and we are on the road to being whole again.”

Michael nodded solemnly. “Yes. We can never thank you enough Gabriel. I will take us back to the hunter’s home before I depart this body so you don’t have to expend the strength to return Dean.” 

They appeared back at Bobby’s house, and the human’s again shielded their eyes from the glow as Michael left Dean’s body. Dean snapped back to awareness just as Gabriel’s anchor dropped and he fell unconscious. 

“I guess since I didn’t need to kick him out things went well?” Dean asked the room.

“Your guess is as good as ours. Better even since you at least have the memories bouncing around that thick skull of yours,” Bobby said. 

“Yeah as soon as you got back Michael left and Gabriel went unconscious. I was thinking of calling Lucifer to come over and make sure he’s alright.”

“I don’t care what you do. I just need a freaking shower. I feel dirty,” Dean said shuddering as he headed up the stairs. Bobby just shrugged so Sam pulled Gabriel’s phone out of his pocket, and called the number marked Luci. 

“Hi…um Lucifer. This is Sam…” 

He didn’t get more than that out before Lucifer interrupted him, “Is Gabriel alright?” 

“Um…we’re not sure…”

Lucifer suddenly appeared next to the couch and placed a hand on Gabriel’s head which glowed for a moment. He turned to the hunters. “Holding up a mind anchor is an extremely draining process. He will be alright. He simply needs rest,” he said carding his hand through Gabriel’s hair as he spoke. 

“We were curious how it went?” Sam asked cautiously. “Dean doesn’t remember anything and Gabriel’s out like a light.”

Lucifer smiled, “It went very well. I can take Gabriel back with me. He had to stay with Michael until the last second to keep the anchor active.”

“Ok just make sure he stops by when he’s well enough, and thank him for us.”

“I will,” Lucifer nodded. He didn’t want to overstay his welcome, knowing that he was still working on being tolerated with this group. Like all else, this too would take time.


End file.
